Gas assist thermoplastic molding techniques have enabled the production of aesthetically pleasing and, if desired, “soft-feel” appliance handles, particularly elongated refrigerator door handles. Customers have shown a preference for the textures, shapes, and feel of these handles. However, the plastic handle material is generally not suitable for direct attachment of the handle to the refrigerator door. The attachment location is a crucial design criterion and must provide for a strong and reliable securement juncture between the door and the handle.
Conventional handle attachment devices include slide-on mechanisms wherein brackets are attached to the refrigerator door. Complimentary engaging members are provided at the ends of the handle, which is then slid onto and secured to the brackets. This method requires numerous components and a relatively large attachment footprint on the face of the refrigerator door, which is not suitable for the relatively slender and sleek design of gas assist handles.
Another conventional attachment design entails the use of a fastener (i.e., bolt, screw, or the like) directly through the front of the handle to engage the refrigerator door. This method requires use of a cap or plug separately applied to the front of the handle to hide the through-hole and fastener from sight. The caps are visible, tend to collect dirt and debris, and again are generally not compatible with the more sophisticated look of the gas assist thermoplastic handles.
Other conventional handle attachment systems include metal handles (i.e., painted stainless steel handles) having inserts pressed into the mounting feet sections of the handle. The inserts mount onto door studs. These handles are prone to deterioration of the paint and loosening of the insert over time. Another method involves overmolding an aluminum sleeve into a piece of plastic, with the plastic piece subsequently pressed into a stainless steel handle shell.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,597 describes a gas assist refrigerator handle having a hollow grip portion and solid distal ends. Metal inserts are completely encased in the solid ends to reinforce the handle where it attaches to the side panel of the refrigerator door with bolts that pass through a section of the handle that abuts the side panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,451 describes a refrigerator door handle that includes an elongated stiffener member in the form of a channel having a plurality of apertures along its length. An elastomer is injected molded around the stiffener member and flows through the apertures and into the stiffener member. The stiffener member includes an attachment foot at the ends thereof with slots to receive screws for attaching the handle to the refrigerator door.
The attachment devices and handle configurations discussed above are not particularly well suited for attachment of substantially hollow gas assist thermoplastic door handles to the front panel of a refrigerator door.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a gas assist thermoplastic refrigerator door that incorporates a secure and reliable attachment device without multiple handle sections or molding steps, and without detracting from the aesthetics of the handle.